The band have been juggling the recording of their follow-up to 2008's -Death Magentic- with a host of other bookings and appearances in between tours.

But now the wait could be over as he tells Rolling Stone: "The record is well on its way. It may come out any century now, actually. There's a saying: where there's life, there's hope.

"I'd say it's mostly done. There are all these other responsibilities that have to be taken care of. Life in Metallica these days is not only about making a record; it's about these things and we played a show at AT&T Park and he does this, I do this.